The 10 Best European Cities for Remote Workers

Here are the most attractive destinations for digital nomads, according to Nestpick (a medium and long term apartment search platform), based on the cost and quality of infrastructure, rights but also the livability of cities. Focus on Europe.

Best European Cities for Digital Nomads

The introduction of telecommuting and confinement have given many city dwellers a desire to escape from the big cities. Some, fewer in number, have been even more radical in deciding to move to other countries, happy to make up for the lack of tourists with these new teleworkers. But the dream of a life in the sun touted on Instagram does not always correspond to reality and it is important to know before flying to the other side of the world, if the working and living conditions on site will really be optimal or not. Nestpick, a medium and long term apartment search platform, has just published an index highlighting the most attractive destinations for digital nomads. 

The 5 cities most likely to welcome nomadic workers are Melbourne, Dubai, Sydney, Tallinn and London -the first 4 with a digital nomad visa-. If this ranking is an average of the scores obtained, it is essential to dig a little deeper into the advantages and disadvantages of each of these cities to check that they correspond to our personal expectations but also our financial means.

Australia is the winner, with two cities in the top three places. Melbourne comes out on top, and not without reason, as it scores well or even very well in all categories, even the cost of living category, ahead of Dubai and Sydney.

In Europe, Tallinn, Estonia, beats out Berlin, London and Lisbon, which have been very popular for years with digital workers, especially freelancers. Thus, budget travelers will undoubtedly appreciate Tallinn for its low cost of living and office space. But if the quality of air and water is good, the cultural life seems to be rather restricted according to the study, which could disappoint the followers of shows, concerts and exhibitions. London, on the other hand, has many advantages but loses points due to the cost of living and the relative prices of renting an office.

​France is represented in this ranking but Paris (36th position), Toulouse (61st position) and Nantes (68th position) are quite far. The cost of living and the tax rate do not play in favor of France.

Here are the top 10 cities in Europe where it is good to work according to Nestpick:

1. Tallin
2. London
3. Glasgow
4. Berlin
5. Prague
6. Lisbon
7. Edinburgh
8. Vienna
9. Madrid
10. Reykjavik

Of the 75 cities analyzed, only 10 offer a visa for digital nomads, eight have implemented a visa for freelancers. And four cities are taking legislative measures to facilitate the installation of teleworkers. 

In Europe, several countries are open to this type of immigration: Estonia, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Iceland and Greece with their digital nomad visas and Italy and Germany with their freelance visas.

Another major disparity is the income tax rate (including social security contributions), which can be an important point for French people wishing to settle in a country on a long-term basis. Thus, 35 of the cities presented have tax rates higher than 35%, and in some cases this amount can even exceed 40%. Only 6 cities have a tax rate below 20% - even 0% for Dubai. 

To carry out this study, the company selected 75 major world cities "often cited as the most pleasant destinations to live in". says the press release. The list includes cities on all continents, although Africa is represented by only one city. Nearly 60 cities belong to the American and European continents.

To decide between these cities, criteria divided into three categories were analyzed: 

Costs and infrastructure: home office rental, availability of accommodation, income tax and social security contributions, Internet speed and capacity.
Legalization and Freedoms: remote worker immigration, remote work infrastructure, security, freedom and rights, gender equality, LGBT+ equality and minority equality. 
Habitability: Covid-19 vaccination rates, cost of living, health, culture and recreation, weather, pollution.
All of these criteria were weighted in a way that was not disclosed by Nestpick, which therefore places Dubai at number one. 2 While the city stands out for its zero tax rate, it does not set an example in terms of gender equality and LGBT+ equality.

VISION Destinations | July 21

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